Retiring MPs

60 year-old Batchelor has had a life-long career in Union and Labor politics. He worked as an official of the Furnishing Trades Union 1972-83 before becoming an ALP State Orgainser and then serving as ALP State Secretary 1983-90. He was elected as member for Thomastown at a 1990 by-election. After the defeat of the Kirner government in 1992, Batchelor served as Shadow Minister for Transport 1992-99, also serving as manager of opposition business 1995-99. On the election of the Bracks government, Batchelor became Minister for Transport, holding the portfolios until the 2006 election, also holding the post as Minister for Major Projects 2002-05. He has been Minister for Energy and Resources since the 2006 election, and has been Minister for the Arts since the resignation of Lynne Kosky in January 2010.

47 year-old Cameron was born and raised locally and worked as a barrister and solicitor before entering Parliament in 1996, making one of the few Labor gains at that election. He was quickly appointed a shadow Parliamentary Secretary and following Labor's victory at the 1999 state election was appointed Minister for Local Government and Minister for Workcover. Following the retirement of Keith Hamilton at the 2002 election, Cameron became Minister for Agriculture, shifting to Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Corrections after the 2006 election. Cameron had to face difficult questions in the witness box at the Bushfires Royal Commission, but the entire failings of Emergency Service were not entirely blamed on the Minister. Cameron announced on 7 October that he would not be contesting the 2010 election, mainly for personal reasons related to his family. He also relinquished the Police and Corrections portfolios pending his retirement.

50 year-old Carli was elected as member for Coburg at a 1994 by-election, succeeding former Treasurer Tom Roper. His seat was re-named Brunswick at the 2002 election. He has an MA in Urban Planning and a Diploma in Italian Language from the University of Siena in Italy. Before his election, Carli followed the traditional Labor Party path to influence, working for trade unions and as a Ministerial adviser in the Kirner government. He served on the Labor frontbench in opposition, later serving as Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure 1999-2006. He lists his interests as cooking, soccer and growing tomatoes.

Aged 72, Jasper was born and raised in Rutherglen and worked for most of his life in the family's motor business. Jasper was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1976 and is currently the father of the house.

Aged 53, and born in Ivanhoe, Langdon has had a varied work career, starting out as a bank officer, working as a senior residential youth worker and an Electorate office before his election to Parliament. After serving on Ivanhoe Council 1988-94, Langdon was one of the many sacked Councillors due to the Kennett government's local government amalgamations and reforms. Langdon won Ivanhoe in 1996, one of only three seats gained by Labor at that election, and served as Opposition Whip 1996-99 and Government Whip from 1999 until his sudden resignation from Parliament on 25 August. Langdon had lost Labor endorsement for the 2010 election and his resignation seemed timed to cause a by-election, but the Speaker cited cost and the inability to swear any new member in before the state election as reasons to cancel by-election writs.

62 year-old Maddigan worked as a Librarian and served five years on Essendon City Council before her election to parliament in 1996. She had first contested Essendon unsuccessfully at the 1992 election, winning the seat back for a Labor in 1996 after a term in Liberal hands. Maddigan served as Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees 1999-2002 and was elected Speaker for the 2002-2006 parliament.

Aged 59, Overington worked as a local welfare worker and served as a City of Ballarat Councillor before her surprise victory at the 1999 state election. Overington had previously contested the seat unsuccessfully in 1992 and worked as an electorate officer for Labor MPs 1984-92 and later as a welfare worker 1994-99 before her eventual victory in 1999. Overington also served as Councillor of the Borough of Sebastopol 1982-94, including a term as mayor, before the Council was abolished and merged into the new City of Ballarat on which Overington also served 1996-9 before defeating Ballarat Mayor Judy Verlin to win Ballarate West at the 1999 state election. Overington retained her seat in 2002 and 2006 with more comfortable margins. Her decision to retire followed a period of ill-health and the death of her husband last year.

Aged 69, born in Croatia, Seitz is a former metal trades industry worker and school teacher. He was first elected as member for Deer Park at a 1982 by-election, switching to Keilor in 1985 following a redistribution. Low profile over the years, he served as Labor Party whip 1992-96. He has strong personal control over the local party branches, numbers that have been critical in the Labor Right factional balance. The public exposure during the last term of Parliament of his involvement in the less attractive aspects of factional politics led to his decision to retire at the 2010 election.

66 year-old Shardey began her working life as an economics and politics schoolteacher, succeeding the popular Ted Tanner as MP for Caulfield in 1996. Between 1988 and 1994 she worked as a senior adviser to state and federal MPs and Ministers, and at the time of her election was a corporate development consultant with Western Mining Corporation. Appointed to the frontbench after the 1999 defeat, she has been Shadow Health spokeswoman since December 2005.

64 year-old Vogels was born in the Netherlands, but has spent most of his working life as a western districts dairy farmer. He was elected as MP for Warrnambool at the 1999 election, winning the seat from the National Party, but was forced to contest Western Province at the 2002 election when Warrnambool was abolished in a redistribution. He was elected for Western Victoria Region at the 2006 election.